What Is Endometrial Cancer?

Love them or hate them, your periods lower your chance of getting some kinds of cancer. When you have your period, the tissue that lines your uterus peels off and flushes itself out of your body. Your body replaces this tissue every month until you reach menopause or become pregnant.

It is more common for cancer to develop on the lining of the uterus after menopause. This type of cancer is called endometrial cancer. Women can also get this cancer before menopause, too. In fact, endometrial cancer is the most common type of cancer of the female reproductive tract. About 42,000 women develop endometrial cancer each year, and about 7,700 die from it annually.

Look for the signs

Cancer on the lining of your uterus can be difficult to detect. Therefore, you need to know the early warning signs. These are symptoms that should be checked out by your health care provider:

A watery, pinkish vaginal discharge, bleeding, or spotting

Bleeding after menopause

More than normal bleeding during your period or between periods

Bleeding after sex

Pelvic pain

Weight loss without dieting

These symptoms do not always mean you have cancer. Still, you should talk with your doctor to figure out the cause.

Some things that may increase your risk of having endometrial cancer:

A high number of menstrual cycles caused by starting periods before age 12 or late menopause

Estrogen therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause

Never having been pregnant

Infertility

A history of infrequent or irregular periods

Obesity

Diabetes

Personal history of breast or ovarian cancer

Family history of hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC); another name for HNPCC is Lynch syndrome

Tests for diagnosis

If you have symptoms that suggest you might have cancer on the lining of your uterus, your doctor may perform a biopsy, dilation and curettage (D and C), or both. For a biopsy, your doctor uses a thin, flexible tube to get a few cells from the lining of your uterus. This can be done in your doctor's office. Your cells are then sent to a lab and examined for signs of cancer. If you have cancer, you will need more tests to see if the cancer has spread.

Your doctor may perform a D and C to check for cancer cells. During a D and C, your doctor scrapes tissue from the lining of the uterus. You will probably have this surgery in a hospital under anesthesia.

If you have cancer, your treatment depends on such factors as the stage of the cancer, your age, and your general health. Your doctor may suggest surgery. Other options include chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. Take your time and talk with your doctor. Ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable.

Endometrial cancer can be treated. It is best if it is caught early. Be sure to watch for the signs. Don't ignore bleeding between periods or after you've had sex. And talk with your doctor if your periods become very heavy. If you have gone through menopause, tell your doctor if you start to bleed again.

More than 92 percent of women whose endometrial cancer is diagnosed early are treated successfully.